PESHAWAR: Action against supporters of banned outfit likely
Bureau Report
PESHAWAR, May 17: The NWFP government is likely to take action against some local government representatives for supporting the banned Tehrik Nifaz-i-Shariat-i-Muhammadi (TNSM) group and a local hardline cleric in the Swat valley, it is learnt.
Well-placed sources told Dawn that senior police officials had recently approached the NWFP chief secretary for taking action against the nazims of Charbagh and Gulibagh in Swat.
Both nazims have been accused of violating government instructions by participating in agitations organised by the TNSM, sources said. The federal government banned TNSM in 2002.
A communication sent to the NWFP chief secretary on May 11 revealed that the two nazims not only took an active part in the agitations, they were also supporting defunct TNSM workers and a controversial cleric Maulana Fazal Ullah.
Maulana Fazal Ullah, son-in-law of TNSM chief Maulana Sufi Muhammad, made headlines a few months back for launching a campaign against polio vaccination and girls’ education through an illegal FM channel in Swat district.
The cleric had also taken various steps for Islamisation of areas under his influence. At present, hundreds of volunteers were regularly visiting his under construction seminary to participate in labour work and to make donations.
The two nazims, according to sources, had also been accused of organising a rally on April 24 in support of Jamia Hafsa in which they made speeches against government policies. They criticised the government and asked people to ignore the country’s laws and decide their cases in accordance with Islamic laws instead.
“Both the elected members have violated the government policy under section 152 sub section (1) and section 193 of the NWFP Government Ordinance 2001, thus appropriate action may be taken against them through the local government commission under section 132-E,” the letter stated.
Section 152 of the NWFP Local Government Ordinance 2001 deals with a candidate’s eligibility to contest polls and also prohibits political and religious organisations from contesting the polls. Section 132 empowers the local government commission to take action against nazims who violate the ordinance.
Sources said that the NWFP local government commission is likely to start an inquiry into the allegations soon.
